Learn French in Tours and visit the beautiful chateaux of the Loire Valley

Magnificent royal castles excelling in late medieval and classic Renaissance architecture are set in the middle of breathtaking landscapes of the Loire valley. Situated a couple of hours away from Paris if you take a TGV (train à grande vitesse), Tours will invite you into the fairytale world of cultural splendour under François 1st, patron of the arts, long before the fame and glory of Versailles emerged. 

You definitely won’t find a better place to familiarise yourself with royal French history than this part of the central France situated in the department of Indre-et-Loir, between Orléans and the Atlantic Coast. So, start your discovery of the Touraine region with a guided visit of the castles: Chenonceau, Amboise, Chambord, Villandry, Azay-le-Rideau are all on the programme, although over 300 castles in total were built between the 10th and the 15th century. They were added to the UNESCO world heritage sites thanks to the quality and beauty of their architecture and their historical meaning. A number of the châteaux were destroyed during the French Revolution. Each castle is an architectural masterpiece with its special character, soul and story. Chenonceau, built between 1515 and 1521 combining late Gothic and early Renaissance styles, is associated with Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henri II. She grew attached to the castle and oversaw the planting of flower and vegetable gardens along with fruit trees on the picturesque riverside. 

In the 9th century, Tours was at the heart of the Carolingian Rebirth. Touraine was bitterly disputed between the counts of Anjou and Blois while it was a capital of France at the time of Louis XI who introduced fine silk industry. Touraine remained a permanent residence of the French kings until the 16th century. Many private mansions and castles appeared under the generic name of the Châteaux of the Loire. 

Other main sights include the cathedral of Tours, dedicated to Saint Gatien, its canonized first bishop, built between the 12th and 15th centuries. Tourists are also attracted by the beautiful Le Clos Lucé, the last residence of Leonardo da Vinci, located close to the royal Château d’Amboise.

This Garden of France is also famous for its fine wine, les vins du Pays de la Loire, such as Muscadet and Gros Plant. Along the river Loire there are vineyards allowing grapes to thrive while climate is mild enough.

In 1970, the University of François Rabelais was founded. The university welcomes foreign students, including those who enjoy Erasmus exchange programmes. The city of Tours counts 140,000 inhabitants, les Tourangeaux, and they are renowned for speaking the “purest” form of French in the entire country. The pronunciation of Touraine is widely regarded as the most standard pronunciation of the French language devoid of any perceived accent that even the Parisians have.

Cactus offers General and Teacher Refresher Courses in Tours, at a variety of levels. There are currently direct flights to Tours Loire Valley Airport from London Stansted.